Alternate bedding for a straw alergy horse.

[Palomino]

I've found a possible horse loan but it has an alergy to straw and the yard I wish to keep it on allows straw but does not allow shavings. The most obvious alternative. Does anyone know of any other alternitives. There's a lack of liveries where I live and it's the best yard i've been to.
Thanx.
Palomino.

[liz--y]

why dont they allow shavings?

rubber mating, shreded paper, aubousie (sorry not sure of the spelling). people also use peat and i've seen some horses on sand.

a yard I used to be at didnt allow straw only shavings my pony had to be on shavings so we talked to them and they allowed us to us them maybe you could talk to the owner of the yard and see what they say

[Palomino]

Thanks alot. Idon't know why they don't allow shavings.
What is aubousie by the way as I have never heard of it.
Palomino.

[Graymalkin]

Do you mean Aubiose? That's flax or hemp or some such thing. I've used it occasionally but it's a bit pricey. Seems odd if the yard doesn't allow shavings at all. Don't any of the other horses there have dust allergies? Another alternative is something like Medi Bed - that's dust-extracted chopped straw. I think it's treated with disinfectant or something as well and is designed for horses with breathing problems.

[Georgie B]

Some yards don't allow shavings because of the disposal and biodegradable process - there has been a recent case of a farmer being prosecuted for burning shavings - not sure of details. Palomine, must ask - do they grow and sell their liveries the straw? If so, this may be the reason - money - it's what it nearly all comes down to isn't it.

[Palomino]

There's proberbly an alternative thay i'm allowed to use in there. I will phone the yard owner if I do get this horse to explain the situation and I will make it clear to her owners as well.
Palomino.

[Sharon H]

In what way is this horse allergic to straw? If it's to do with it's breathing you might find that even if you can find an alternative bedding for it, it will still be affected by the other beds in the yard. I would seriously consider keeping the horse at grass all the time if it has lung problems.

[Palomino]

I don't know why he is allergic to straw as my Dad only had a breif conversation with the owner. I will ask though.

[Cathy Reynolds]

Hey ho

Having just printed off http://www.belvoirbedding.co.uk for details of Flax-a-bed as an alternative for shredded paper, I do sympathise. He may be like Benny - who just LOVES to eat fresh straw, in preference to freshly washed hay even, and ends up coughing because of unavoidable dust.

Wood shavings don't degrade very well, which is why some yards don't like it (ours doesn't).

[Gulliver]

How about paper? Thats what we use sometimes at our barn, works like a charm.

[fionahogg]

Rubber matting would be the best thing to keep him in a dust free environment, but like someone said, if he's stabled near other horses, he will still be inhaling the dust from their beds. Try to turn him out as much as poss. Rubber mats are also easier to manage and more economical although the initial cost of them seems expensive.
I found paper a pain to muck out and it left ink stains on grey horses!
How else do you manage his allergy?

Fiona

[JackiAH]

I was reading about rubber matting and I thought it didnt sound like such a good idea. It sounds kind of uncomfortable. Theres nothing the horse can curl up in, and theres nothing the horse can lie down on.... wouldnt it be kind of hard?

I dont know.. please correct me if you can!

[Sharon H]

I know that rubber matting doesn't look very inviting but the horses really seem to like it. It can also be good for their legs if they have to stand in for a long time. After all, if you think about it, they lay down quite happily in the fields with no straw or anything don't they?

[Pam F]

I keep my horse in a very large stable (30'x13'). The floor slopes a bit and is completely covered in a tough rubber matting. Like you I thought My horse might want a cosy corner to lie in so I put down a small area of thick bedding. In 2 years he has only used the bedded bit to pee on and will only roll and sleep on the hard rubber. I think we often forget horses don't think or feel like us humans!

[Wally]

Horses are not "nest builders" Humans are, pigs are, gorillas and chimps are they need bedding instinctively. Horses don't, they simply lie down wherever they feel safe, usually right in the middle of the field. They don't need to curl up in a snug nest. So long as they can't damage themselves on a concrete floor they are happy with rubber mats with a bit of bedding to soak up the wee.

[floppy]

all the stables at my local vets have rubber matting in them..all the posh ridign establishments use sawdust...and where the haflinger i ride is kept they use straw

[Remmy]

I'd also recommend rubber matting. I've had my mats 5 yrs and for the first 4, I used a full shavings bed with them (yup, dead stupid ??? ). I read a post from Wally late last year about using a bucketfull of shavings scattered on the mats and with that dumped my full bed and did the same. I have never looked back :-)

BTW my horse happily lies down and pees on them.... not always in that order though !

[Somethingroyal]

You could plant grass in the stall:) I have never tried it and it probably wont work. Just another twisted idea from my brain. But check to see if he is allergic to a perticular type of straw, b/c maybe you could use another variety. ther's always dirt too, but that would have a dust problem and you dont want him eating it or anything, but that might be better thatn some alternatives. I have really no clue. All I have ever used is straw, shvings, and this absorbent pellet stuff, but it was quite pricey.

[alexa]

I recently read a magazine article on these substitute beddings:

1. Hemp: good points are - very absorbant, not slippery and it breaks down fast for recycling and it was cheaper than wood shavings. Bad poins are: doesn't stay very white looking (as wood shavings does). Very occasionally a horse will eat it. Absorbs damp easily (from atmosphere etc I guess)

2. Flax: good points are - very absorbant, stays supple and doesn't get crushed down, breaks down fast for recycling - cheaper than wood shavings. Bad points are, occasionally eaten by horses, it is slippery, absorbs damp easily.

3. Paper: good points are comfortable and soft, very absorbant, does not stick to their feet. Bad points are very heavy when wet, a difficult bed to look after - cannot be recycled. It is about the same price as flax and hemp.

4. Wood shavings: good points are, keeps clean and white, does not slip, horses don't eat it. Bad points are that it gets into lumps and hardens up easily, it is not very absorbant and it is difficult to recycle, it is more xpensive than the other alternative beddings mentioned above.

My horse is on wood shavings as I don't get the choice here but when I move I will seriously think of rubber matting.

[Maci]

What about rubber mats, and on top of it, peat moss or soil. It's softer and non-slippery, but you would have to add new peat moss on top, every once and a while, so it stays dry and fresh. It's easy to muck out the poo, but not quite so easy when it comes to the urine. :p YUK!

Maci :)